Marine Binoculars and Telescopes

Choosing Marine Binoculars can be
confusing. What do all those numbers mean? What is the
best size and magnification? Waterproof or not? With or
without compass? However, there are a couple of general rules
that apply to marine binoculars that may help answer some of those
questions.

Firstly, 7 x magnification is acknowledged to be the
maximum that can be handled at sea, simply due to the motion of the
boat. As with any rule there is an exception - stabilised
binoculars enable greater magnification but at a significantly
greater price.

The size of objective lens (the big lens at the far end
of the binoculars) most accepted for marine use is 50mm.
Hence, most binoculars sold for marine use are 7x50 and this
combination of magnification and lens size provides a clear, steady
image at sea.

If you want a pair of smaller, lighter binoculars for
keeping handy, in a pocket or around your neck, then a smaller
objective lens will provide an acceptable image in good daylight
conditions but it will be much more difficult to distinguish objects
and colours in bad light. Consider 7x35 or 7x26 for a second
pair of marine binoculars.

Waterproof binoculars tend to be more expensive but,
due to the nature of the marine environment, water is likely to get
into any binoculars that are not completely sealed. The
performance will deteriorate over time with the image becoming less
bright and less clear. Waterproof binoculars will be nitrogen
filled or state that they are waterproof in the specification and
are worth the additional cost for marine use.

Compass binoculars are a popular choice. The
ability to take a bearing when looking through binoculars at a buoy
or other vessel makes a lot of practical sense but will again
increase the price of the equipment.

The most important considerations when choosing
binoculars are clarity, brightness and comfort of use. It is
essential to try before you buy and don't buy a pair of marine
binoculars that are not comfortable for you, no matter how good
someone else finds them. Generally speaking, more expensive
binoculars have better lenses, prisms and body construction but the
final choice comes down to personal preference and budget.

A range of marine binoculars and optics are available
from the following specialist suppliers and many good Chandlers. Simply follow the links below for more
information and don’t forget to mention
alphatozulu.com
when contacting suppliers.